Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in an electrical junction box. More particularly, the present junction box is for 110-volt electrical junction boxes, light switches, duplex outlets and trim plates with an integrated connection circuit that allows an installer to install electrical outlets, switches and a variety of other common electrical control devices into an electrical junction box without securing a free wire to an electrical device or requiring joining of individual, or collective wires, with a twist on wire connector.
Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.
When houses are constructed, electrical wires are pulled from the breaker box to each electrical box and the jacketed wire in placed, wound or wrapped in a plurality of electrical junction boxes. After the drywall or sheet rock has been secured to the wall, the wall has been textured and painted, an electrician pulls the wire jacket from the junction box. The conductors from the jacketed wires are separates, stripped and connected to, usually a switch or an electrical outlet according to the blueprints for the house. The electrician will then continue throughout the house following the same general process. This process has remained essentially unchanged for the many years. The process is both tedious, time consuming and requires an electrician to make wiring changes.
Home automation has made attempts to provide additional control over the lighting and wiring of a home. Home automation typically requires the additional installation of communication wires and/or wireless control transmitters and/or receivers. While home automation provides some additional benefits, it essentially still relies upon an installer to manually connect wires by twisting two or more wires together or securing loose wires to an outlet or switch.
A number of patents and or publications have been made to address these issues. Exemplary examples of patents and or publication that try to address this/these problem(s) are identified and discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,433,917 issued on Jan. 6, 1948 to W. J. McCartney and is titled Outlet Box and Plug in Connections Therefor. This patent discloses a junction box with a socket for installing a switch into the socket. The patent does not utilize a circuit, it simply has two connections for installing or replacing the switch.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,478 issued on Nov. 25, 1975 to Preston R. Perkey and is titled Utility Structure Usable as Electrical Wiring Equipment. This patent discloses a series of grooved conductors where the switch or outlet connect. It does not provide a configurable circuit for connection different functional devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,034,222 issued on Apr. 25, 2006 to Roy Wayne York and is titled Electrical Junction System. This patent discloses an electrical junction system includes a junction box that is attached to a wall stud or other structure and electrical power is routed to the box. The electrical wires are connected into the back of the junction box and there are contact pads for connection to the outlet. This provides only one use for the box as opposed to a universal junction box.
What is needed is a junction box with an integrated connection circuit. This disclosure provides a solution where each junction box is pre-wired with all wiring combinations. It allows an installer to simply insert the switch, outlet or other device into the junction box and eliminated manual twisting of electrical wires.